1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image capturing and recording system including an image capturing apparatus and an image recording apparatus and an image transmission-reception method thereof, and more particularly to an image capturing and recording system and an image transmission-reception method for effectively transmitting and receiving images between the image capturing apparatus and the image recording apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Images captured by a digital camera are usually recorded in a recording medium (e.g., a memory card) provided in the camera. Then, the images recorded in the memory card are transferred to a personal computer, etc. and stored into a recording medium (e.g., a hard disk) with a large capacity or printed by a printer. After the images are transferred, the recording medium of the camera is cleared. The recording medium of the camera, however, can only record dozens of images, and thus, there is a limitation to the amount of data of images that can be captured. This necessitates a spare recording medium.
In view of the above-mentioned problem, an electronic still camera with a mobile telephone function has been proposed (Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 6-133081). This electronic still camera communicates with a server or storage through the mobile telephone system, and stores images captured by the electronic still camera into the server. Therefore, a user can capture images without paying attention to the residual capacity of the recording medium in the camera. According to the conventional electronic still camera with the mobile telephone function, however, it is impossible to prevent the loss of battery in a storage part at the receiving side, and images once transmitted cannot be seen at the camera.
If the images are transmitted to the server in each imaging, the camera transmits radio waves to the storage at the receiving side even if there is no necessity for the transmission, and this results in waste of the battery in the camera. On the other hand, if data is transmitted to the storage by the operation of the user, the user must operate the camera and the operation is complicated.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image capturing apparatus, an image recording apparatus and an image transmission-reception method, which prevent the loss of power at the image capturing apparatus and the image recording apparatus, eliminate the necessity of operation to transmit images by the user, and make it possible for the image capturing apparatus to require transmission (retrieval) of the images from the image recording apparatus and erase the images recorded in the image recording apparatus.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to an image capturing apparatus, comprising: an imaging part; a first recording part that records a predetermined amount of image data captured by the imaging part; and a communication part that wirelessly communicates with an image recording apparatus comprising at least one of a printer and a second recording part having a capacity larger than the first recording part, and that transmits a first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on a main power supply of the image recording apparatus when a residual capacity of the first recording part becomes less than a predetermined threshold and then transmits at least one of the images recorded in the first recording part to the image recording apparatus.
More specifically, if the residual capacity of the small-capacity recording part in the image capturing apparatus is little, the image capturing apparatus transmits the images collectively to the image recording apparatus, thus improving the transmission efficiency and preventing the loss of battery. Moreover, the images can be transmitted automatically without the operation by the user. Further, the command signal for turning on the main power supply of the image recording apparatus at the receiving side is transmitted prior to the transmission of the images in order to activate the image recording apparatus. More specifically, the main power supply of the image recording apparatus is usually off in standby for receiving signals from the image capturing apparatus, and the image capturing apparatus controls the power supply of the image recording apparatus, thus preventing the loss of electricity at the receiving side.
According to the present invention, the communication part transmits the command signal for turning off the power supply of the image recording apparatus when the transmission of the images to the image recording apparatus is completed.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus further comprises an erasing device that automatically erases, from the first recording part, the at least one of the images having been transmitted to the image recording apparatus. This automatically secures the recording capacity of the small-capacity recording part without the erasing operation by the user.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus is characterized in that: the communication part wirelessly communicates with the image recording apparatus comprising the second recording part; the image capturing apparatus further comprises a retrieved image selecting device that selects at least one image having been recorded in the second recording part to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus; and the communication part transmits the first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on the power supply to the second recording part when the retrieved image selecting device selects the at least one image to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus, and then transmits a third command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit the at least one image selected by the retrieved image selecting device from the image recording apparatus to the image capturing apparatus.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus is characterized in that: the communication part wirelessly communicates with the image recording apparatus comprising the second recording part; the image capturing apparatus further comprises an erased image selecting device that selects at least one image having been recorded in the second recording part to be erased from the second recording part; and the communication part transmits the first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on the power supply to the second recording part when the erased image selecting device selects the at least one image to be erased from the second recording, and then transmits a fourth command signal to the image recording apparatus to erase the at least one image selected by the erased image selecting device from the second recording part.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus is characterized in that: the communication part wirelessly communicates with the image recording apparatus comprising the second recording part; the image capturing apparatus further comprises a retrieved image selecting device that receives image selection information from the image recording apparatus, and that selects, with reference to the image selection information, at least one image having been recorded in the second recording part to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus; and when a retrieved image selection procedure at the retrieved image selecting device is started, the communication part transmits the first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on the power supply to the second recording part and then transmits a fifth command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit the image selection information to the image capturing apparatus, and then, when the retrieved image selecting device selects the at least one image to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus, the communication part transmits a third command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit the at least one image selected by the retrieved image selecting device from the image recording apparatus to the image capturing apparatus.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus is characterized in that: the communication part wirelessly communicates with the image recording apparatus comprising the second recording part; the image capturing apparatus further comprises an erased image selecting device that receives image selection information from the image recording apparatus, and that selects, with reference to the image selection information, at least one image having been recorded in the second recording part to be erased from the second recording part; and when an erased image selection procedure at the erased image selecting device is started, the communication part transmits the first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on the power supply to the second recording part and then transmits a fifth command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit the image selection information to the image capturing apparatus, and then, when the erased image selecting device selects the at least one image to be erased from the second recording, the communication part transmits a fourth command signal to the image recording apparatus to erase the at least one image selected by the erased image selecting device from the second recording part.
More specifically, the image capturing apparatus is able to retrieve the images once transmitted. Thus, the image capturing apparatus can retrieve and reproduce the images recorded in the image recording apparatus, and the images can be erased as the need arises. Moreover, the image capturing apparatus is able to erase the images once transmitted and recorded in the image recording apparatus.
The present invention is also directed to an image recording apparatus comprising: a communication part that wirelessly communicates with an image capturing apparatus and receives at least one image from the image capturing apparatus; a power supply part that makes the communication part on standby for receiving a first command signal to turn on a main power supply from the image capturing apparatus, and that turns on the main power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus and then turns off the main power supply and makes the communication part on the standby upon at least one of receipt of a second command signal to turn off the main power supply from the image capturing apparatus and passage of a predetermined period after completion of reception of the at least one image from the image capturing apparatus; and at least one of a printer and a recording part that records the at least one image received from the image capturing apparatus after the main power supply is turned on.
The present invention is also directed to an image capturing and recording system comprising an image capturing apparatus and an image recording apparatus, wherein: the image capturing apparatus comprises: an imaging part; a first recording part that records a predetermined amount of image data captured by the imaging part; and a first communication part that wirelessly communicates with the image recording apparatus and that transmits a first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on a main power supply of the image recording apparatus when a residual capacity of the first recording part becomes less than a predetermined threshold and then transmits at least one of the images recorded in the first recording part to the image recording apparatus; and the image recording apparatus comprises: a second communication part that wirelessly communicates with the image capturing apparatus and receives the at least one of the images transmitted from the image capturing apparatus; a power supply part that makes the communication part on standby for receiving the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus, and that turns on the main power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus and then turns off the main power supply and makes the communication part on the standby for receiving the first command signal upon at least one of receipt of a second command signal to turn off the main power supply from the image capturing apparatus and passage of a predetermined period after completion of reception of the at least one of the images from the image capturing apparatus; and at least one of a printer and a second recording part having a capacity larger than the first recording part, the at least one of the printer and the second recording part recording the at least one of the images received from the image capturing apparatus after the main power supply is turned on.
More specifically, the image capturing apparatus transmits the command signal for turning on the main power supply of the image recording apparatus at the receiving side when the residual capacity of the small-capacity recording part becomes less than the predetermined capacity, so that the image recording apparatus is activated, and then, the images are automatically transmitted. On the other hand, the image recording apparatus at the receiving side turns on the power supply to be activated from being on standby for receiving signals in response to the command signal for turning on the main power supply. Then, the large-capacity recording part or the printer records the received images.
The present invention is also directed to an image transmission-reception method for transmitting and receiving images between an image capturing apparatus and an image recording apparatus, wherein: the image capturing apparatus transmits a first command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn on a main power supply of the image recording apparatus when the amount of image data recorded in a first recording part of the image capturing apparatus reaches a predetermined number, and then transmits at least one of the images recorded in the first recording part to the image recording apparatus; and the image recording apparatus turns on the main power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus to get activated from being on standby for receiving the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus, and then receives the at least one of the images transmitted from the image capturing apparatus and records the at least one of the images received from the image capturing apparatus on at least one of printing paper and a second recording part having a capacity larger than the first recording part.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus automatically erases, from the first recording part, the at least one of the images having been transmitted to the image recording apparatus.
Preferably, the image capturing apparatus transmits a second command signal to the image recording apparatus to turn off the main power supply of the image recording apparatus when transmission of the at least one of the images recorded in the first recording part to the image recording apparatus is completed; and the image recording apparatus turns off the main power supply and becomes on the standby upon receipt of the second command signal to turn off the main power supply from the image capturing apparatus.
Preferably, the image recording apparatus turns off the main power supply and becomes on the standby upon passage of a predetermined period after completion of reception of the at least one of the images from the image capturing apparatus.
Preferably, the image recording apparatus records the at least one of the images received from the image capturing apparatus; when at least one image having been recorded in the image recording apparatus to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus is selected, the image capturing apparatus transmits the first command signal to turn on the power supply of the image recording apparatus and then transmits a third command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit the at least one image selected by the image capturing apparatus from the image recording apparatus to the image capturing apparatus; and the image recording apparatus turns on the power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus to get activated from being on the standby, and transmits, in response to the third command signal, the at least one image recorded in the image recording apparatus corresponding to the third command signal to the image capturing apparatus.
Preferably, the image recording apparatus records the at least one of the images received from the image capturing apparatus; when at least one image having been recorded in the image recording apparatus to be erased from the image recording apparatus is selected, the image capturing apparatus transmits the first command signal to turn on the power supply of the image recording apparatus and then transmits a fourth command signal to the image recording apparatus to erase the at least one image selected by the image capturing apparatus from the image recording apparatus; and the image recording apparatus turns on the power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus to get activated from being on the standby, and erases, in response to the fourth command signal, the at least one image recorded in the image recording apparatus corresponding to the fourth command signal.
Preferably, the image recording apparatus records the at least one of the images received from the image capturing apparatus; when a retrieved image selection procedure to select at least one image having been recorded in the image recording apparatus to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus is started, the image capturing apparatus transmits the first command signal to turn on the power supply of the image recording apparatus and then transmits a fifth command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit image selection information to be used in the retrieved image selection procedure to the image capturing apparatus; the image recording apparatus turns on the power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus to get activated from being on the standby, and transmits the image selection information to the image capturing apparatus in response to the fifth command signal; when the at least one image to be transmitted to the image capturing apparatus is selected at the image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus transmits a third command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit the at least one image selected by the image capturing apparatus from the image recording apparatus to the image capturing apparatus; and the image recording apparatus transmits, in response to the third command signal, the at least one image recorded in the image recording apparatus corresponding to the third command signal to the image capturing apparatus.
Preferably, the image recording apparatus records the at least one of the images received from the image capturing apparatus; when an erased image selection procedure to select at least one image having been recorded in the image recording apparatus to be erased from the image recording apparatus is started, the image capturing apparatus transmits the first command signal to turn on the power supply of the image recording apparatus and then transmits a fifth command signal to the image recording apparatus to transmit image selection information to be used in the erased image selection procedure to the image capturing apparatus; the image recording apparatus turns on the power supply in response to the first command signal from the image capturing apparatus to get activated from being on the standby, and transmits the image selection information to the image capturing apparatus in response to the fifth command signal; when the at least one image to be erased from the image recording apparatus is selected at the image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus transmits a fourth command signal to the image recording apparatus to erase the at least one image selected by the image capturing apparatus from the image recording apparatus; and the image recording apparatus erases, in response to the fourth command signal, the at least one image recorded in the image recording apparatus corresponding to the fourth command signal.